Julia Roberts Goad

Staff Writer

PIKEVILLE, KY - A father and son who are facing charges of fraud in West Virginia have been indicted in Pike County for a similar scheme in Kentucky.

Brandon Ward, 38 along with his father, Ralph Ward, 64, were arrested in June by West Virginia State Police.

The Wards had contracted with a coal company in Gilbert to sell the company some mining belt. The owners of the mine gave the Wards $4,000 as a deposit on the belt which was not delivered.

They were charged with attempting to obtain goods or services by fraud, conspiracy, fraudulent schemes and computer fraud. Those charges were waived to the grand jury in Mingo County Circuit Court.

They were indicted by the August Grand Jury in Pike County for theft by deception for selling mining belt to Rajiv Arora. Court documents said the Wards retained funds in excess of $10,000.